When in Rome
by Nanabird
Summary: Jasper has been reformed and left her loyalty to Home World in her past. But the Warrior Gem struggles to adjust to her new life on earth and her lack of purpose so Steven takes it upon himself to find Jasper her own slice of joy on the planet earth. First in a series of one-shots about Jaspers life on Earth.


A/N: The first in a series of One-shots about a reformed Jasper.

When in Rome

"She's still just sitting out there," Steven says as he passes a dish, now hand-scrubbed clean, his eyes cast out the window to where Jasper has been sitting on the beach for the past three and half hours. The large gem has been a "Member' of the Crystal gems for nearly a week now, though this has mostly involved her being silent and keeping a downcast gaze.

"Well, it's not like there's anything we can do about it," Peridot, who agreed to come over to try this "Eating" thing Amethyst keeps talking about is. The green gem takes the plate from Steven's hand and places it in the drying rack.

"I'm sure there's something," Steven says more to himself than Peridot. Stevie wonder's if Jasper is still feeling off from being poofed? Or maybe she doesn't like the form she picked like Amethyst? Surely there's something he can do to help.

"I'm gonna try to talk to her," Steven say, stepping down from the step stool by the sink.

"NYAG Wait," Peridot skitters across the room on all fours blocking the door from Steven. "Listen Steven, Quartz Gems are warriors, and with no outlet she's probably got a lot of pent up aggression and I am not a strong swimmer so when she chucks you off the beach and into the ocean I CAN'T SAVE YOU!"

"That's ridiculous Peridot," Steven says carefully pushing past the spastic Gem. "But just in case…be ready to warp the Barn and get lapis okay?"

SU

Jasper sits on the beach looking at the sand resting between the gaps of her massive fingers. Nothing about her looks different, even after her reform. She always comes back the same….it's easier. The Peridot had a star now, in fact the Amethyst looks different then before too. Change never suited her well. She's been the same since the day she emerged. Following the orders of her diamond as law, a warrior of honor and loyalty. Well that loyalty is gone now and her honor is too. She's never changed until now…well except…

Jasper shutters harshly as the memories of crushing water and choking, heavily, cold….she shakes her mane of hair, a nervous jolt surging up her spine. The sound of steps in the sand send Jasper to her feet, towering height blasting off the sand. She spins around and her shadow casts across Steven and Peridot, who is standing in front him almost protectively.

"Oh," Jasper says dropping back to the sand causing a rumble across the beach and puff of sand clouds about her. "What do you want, Quartz child?"

"Well…are you okay?" Steven asks barely able to see over the point of Peridots hair.

"I'm unharmed," Jasper assures him, looking down at her thick legs. "So that would mean fine."

"I mean like…emotionally, how do you feel?" Steven presses carefully. Jasper doesn't look up, but stands. Peridot lets out a noise that Jasper could not explain to save her life and Steven steps back arm raised like he's getting ready to summon his pink shield.

"Why does something like that even matter?" Jasper asks sharply, a sneer on her face, fist clenching. "Just leave me alone." Jasper stomps down the beach, still bared tight up, grumbling angrily. She wishes they'd stop acting like they care then act like she's going to try and snap them in half in the same moment. She keeping going down the beach, completely aimless.

SU

"And then she just walked away," Steven exclaims as he and Amethyst appear on the warp pad outside the barn.

"Awwww," Steven says, putting his hands over his mouth. Lapis rolls her eyes but ruffs his hair at the same time.

"It's not completely awful," Lapis says dryly. "She took the most time on yours." Lapis winks as she sits down on a bale of hay as Steven pulls his new shirt over his head.

"You know," Peridot says. "If you want to find out what's wrong with Jasper, perhaps Amethyst would have some insight, being a quartz herself."

"What's wrong with Jasper?" Lapis asks sharply, a clear rise of aggression in her voice.

"She's being moody," Amethyst states. "But I don't really know what her deal is. I've always just done my own thing." The purple gem shapeshifts herself into Jasper and lets out a mock growl which sends Peridot into a riot of laughter. Lapis huffs a little and steps outsi

"I mean I don't know what to tell ya little man," Amythest says in a bored tone. "She probably just needs some time to be moody or ya know…whatever." Steven sighs, not happy with the answer as they step into the barn. Peridot is sitting on the ground with three t-shirts around her and piles of paint splattered about. Each shirt has "Short Squad written them in crude letters, one purple, one green and pink.

"Hey these look great Pe-pod," Amethyst says picking up the purple one.

"Well I don't mean to brag but they are in fact perfect," Peridot grins widely. "Steven try yours on!"

"Yeah sure," Steven smiles. "Hey where's lapis?"

"Up here," a toneless voice comes from the loft of the barn. Lapis comes down the ladder and before Steven can question why she didn't just fly down, he can see she is wearing a t-shirt over her normal top with the words "#1 Roommate" Painted across the chest area.

"Awwww," Steven says putting his hands over his mouth. Lapis rolls her eyes but ruffs his hair at the same time.

"It's not completely awful," Lapis says dryly. "She took the most time on yours." Lapis winks as she sits down on a bail of hay as Steven pulls his new shirt over his head.

"You know," Peridot says. "If you want to find out what's wrong with Jasper perhaps Amethyst would have some insight, being a quartz herself."

"What's wrong with Jasper," Lapis asks sharply a clear rise of aggression in her voice.

"She's being moody," Amethyst states. "But I don't really know what her deal is. I've always just done my own thing." The purple gem shape shifts herself into Jasper and lets out a mock growl which sends Peridot into a riot of laughter. Lapis huffs a little and steps outside, standing by the "pond" made for her my Peridot. Steven causally follows after her.

"Are you okay," Steven asks. Lapis stares at the water intently.

"I am," Lapis says softly. "I just…I don't think Jasper is going to ever be able to adjust to being on earth."

"Why not," Steven questions a startled tone taking over his voice.

"I've seen her memories ," Lapis says. "She doesn't know anything but fighting. Her whole existence has been going where the diamonds told her and fighting again and again. Even when we were Malachite she just wanted to fight. I just don't think she knows anything else."

"Well you adjusted to being on earth pretty well," Steven points out.

"I had a lot of help," Lapis points out.

"So we help her," Steven states firmly. Lapis is silent, crossing her arms and looking at her own refection in the water. A part of her feels like she should try to give some aid, a large part feels like, after everything she started, it would be better to leave t alone.

"So…we just have to help her find something else she likes and she'll be okay," Steven jumps quickly breaking the silence. "Thanks Lapis!" He hugs her around the waste before running back to the barn.

"It was really your idea," Lapis gives a small smile. "But your welcome." Steven jets back into the barn and grabs Peridots arm.

"I have a plan," Steven exclaims. "Ameythest you have to help us! You know like every fun thing in the world!"

"True," Amythest says smugly. "But ah…what are we doing?"

SU

Jasper had found her way to a small cove about a mile down from the temple and is back to sitting motionless in the sand. A small hermit crab walks past her, shuffling about in the particles of broken down stone. Jasper watches it for a moment, the way it's leg move in patterns… so many legs. She shudders a little as flashes of clashing limbs and rising water cross her mind. She pushes it back, closes her eyes.

"JASPER." the large Quartz rises as harshly as the day before as she sees the quartz child, Peridot and Amethyst barreling down the beach towards her. Jasper doesn't sit back down but unclenches slightly, remembering how the two had reacted to her prior.

"What?" Jasper asks the harshness still clear in her voice despite her efforts to sway it.

"WE…Want….to….help…you," Steven pants. "Find something you like."

"Y-yeah," Peridot offers a nervous smile.

"You too," Jasper raises an eyebrow at Amethyst.

running back to the barn.

"It was really your idea," Lapis gives a small smile. "But you're welcome." Steven jets back into the barn and grabs Peridot's arm.

"I have a plan," Steven exclaims. "Amethyst, you have to help us! You know like every fun thing in the world!"

"True," Amethyst says smugly. "But ah…what are we doing?"

SU

"Apparently," Amethyst shrugs with a smirk, clearly having no protest toward the idea. Jasper sighs out and is about to rebuff the offer but then she looks at Steven. Everything she did and here he stands, once again extending a hand to aid her. Jasper deflates, her shoulders hunkering down as she closes her eyes, pinching the bridge of her gem.

"Okay," she sighs. "Yeah okay…we'll do whatever you want."

"Great," Steven explains, grabbing Jasper's massive and dragging her back to the house. "Peridot already had a great idea!"

SU

"I…I don't think I understand this at all." Jasper scratches the back of her thick mane. "Who are these humans and why do they keep….doing that thing with their mouths?"

"It's kissing," Steven says. "And it's just a show, you just watch what they do and follow their stories. This one is Peridot's favorite show."

"IT'S NOT AN SHOW ITS ART," Peridot shrieks before gluing her eyes back to screen.

"So it's like gathering intelligence," Jasper says. "With no outcome?"

"Well the outcome is enjoyment," Steven offers. Jasper glances at Amethyst who is laying on her stomach on Steven's bed, which she herself is awkwardly perched at the end of.

"Do you find enjoyment in this?" She asks. Amethyst rolls onto her back.

"I prefer wrestling, but yeah, it's pretty fun," Amethyst says only to be aggressively shushed by Peridot. The four sit silently till the end credits and a long out of date pop song sounds off. Steven, Peridot and Amethyst look expectantly at Jasper, who is pressed tight between Steven and the wall.

"I don't think this is my type of thing," She says with an annoyed sigh in the back of her voice. The group groans in defeat as their first attempt officially fails. Jasper lets out a soft groan and stands only to have her head smash into the ceiling. She snarls and slams her massive fist into the wall, causing a fracture in the wood. Jasper breathes heavily as she turns slowly to see Steven has toppled off the bed, Peridot is standing in front of him AGAIN and Amethyst's whip is out and in hand.

"I'm fine," Jaspers snaps. "But THANK YOU for that vote of confidence! Did you act like this with the Peridot, or just me?!" She steps over Steven and stomps towards the door, the house shaking with her massive strides.

"Wait," Steven exclaims clambering down the stairs of his small lost and diving to block Jasper from the door. "Please don't go! We've only tried one thing! Lets up….let's…..GO TO THE ARCADE!"

"Ummm that didn't end well last time we went," Amethyst points out.

"Oh right," Steven blushes a little before glancing back at Jasper. Before he can think of another activity the warp pad illuminates revealing Pearl and Garnet. Jasper steps back slightly, distancing herself from Steven and looking deliberately out the door, trying to map out an escape that don't involve her breaking through the windows.

"Oh Jasper," Pearl says awkwardly as she steps off the warp pad in a delicately. "Steven, did you invite her in?"

"Yeah," Steven says hurriedly. "We're trying to help her find something fun she likes to do!"

"That's very kind of you Steven," Garnet says motherly. "Are Amethyst and Peridot helping you?"

A yep and yo sound from the loft as the two other Gems pop into visibility again. Peridot has her Camp Pining Hearts box-set clutched to her chest as she and Amethyst scurry down the steps. Jasper scowls annoyed that again no one seems to care what she thinks about this mess, but then again, she's pretty sure she doesn't deserve that.

"Heyyy Steven," Amethyst says suddenly sensing the tension in the air. "Why don't we take Jasper to Funland!"

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Pearl asks nervously. "There are a lot of people there and…"

"We took Peridot," Steven protests.

"It's a little different, Steven," Pearl says. Jasper snorts loudly.

"I'm still here you know," she growls. "And I'm not going to go on a rampage for no reason."

"So you'd do it if you had a reason?" Peridot questions.

"Well if there's a REASON," Jasper snaps exasperated.

"That sounds like a very good idea Steven," Garnet cuts in finally. "Just keep an eye on them….all of them." Garnet spares a glance at Amethyst, who is eating a dirty plate out of the sink.

"What?" she demands. "I need a snack before we go!"

SU

Jasper shifts uncomfortably as she follows the Shortie Squad through Funland. There are far more humans here then she's comfortable with and they all seem to be staring at her.

"So why don't we go on the Scrambler?" Steven says looking around. "The Roller Coaster might be a little much to start with.

"Whatever," Amethyst draws cooly. "I ate three corn dogs so at this point it doesn't matter."

"Wonderful," Peridot grumbles. The four approach the ride as Mr. Smiley comes barreling across the park to the gate of the scrambler, panting madly.

"Well if it isn't my favorite Shorties," he says between gasps of air. "And, ummm, one not so shortie." Mr. Smiley opens the gate for Steven Amethyst and Peridot to walk to the ride but Smiley holds out his arm to stop Jasper. The group freezes and Jasper looks down at him, annoyed.

"Now hold on tall dark and orange," he says. "This ride's not built to handle someone your size. Honestly, I'm not sure it's made to handle normal sizes that well. You're gonna have to sit this one out."

"Oh, umm." Steven steps back through the gate. "You guys go ahead, I'll stay with Jasper." Mr. Smiley closes the gate and starts up the ride as Jasper and Steven Walk towards the game section.

"Wanna play one of the games?" Steven asks. "You win prizes!"

"Whatever," Jasper grumbles. Steven runs ahead and skids to a stop in front of a tall tower with a weight pad and a bell at the top.

"HERE," Steven exclaims his voice reaching new volumes. "You hit the big Hammer against the pad and if the metal thing reaches the bell you get the big prize." Steven pulls five dollars out of his pocket and looks around for Mr. Smiley but he is nowhere to be seen.

"I guess if I just leave it," Steven sets the money on the desk next to the free standing prize wall and picks up the massive wooden hammer and offers it up to Jasper. The massive Gem take it up and looks at it skeptically.

"This primitive weapon is no use to me." Jasper hurls the hammer carelessly over her shoulder and summons her battle Helmet. Steven jumps back, startled, and Jasper smashes her head down on the weight pad. The metal slider sails up the tower and collides with the bell. A massive ring echos throughout the park as the bell skyrockets off the tower and sails through the air and straight into the house of mirrors. Steven and Jasper stand completely still as the sound of shattering mirrors sends Mr. Smiley charging towards them.

"BANNED," Mr. Smiley Screams. "BANNED FOR LIFE." Steven yelps and runs towards the exit of the park. Jasper, unthreatened, grabs a large stuffed Lion from the top of the prize rack and glares at Mr. Smiley.

"I won this," she barks and stomps away. At the gate, Steven is standing with Peridot and Amethyst who look up at her.

"You broke the entire mirror house," Amethyst snickers. "Respect."

"I wasn't trying to break anything," Jasper snarls. "And here, I won this." She drops the lion into Steven's arms before walking back out onto the boardwalk.

"Oh, thanks." Steven offers a smile.

"I think we should quit while we're ahead," Jasper sighs. "I don't think this is getting better."

"NO," Steven exclaims. "Peridot, Amethyst, I have an Idea, but I think we're gonna go on our own."

"Are you sure?" Amethyst asks eyeing Jasper carefully.

"Again, I am still here," Jasper snaps.

"Okay, okay, geez." Amethyst throws up her hand defensively. "Do your thing little man." The two gems walk away together, though Peridot shoots a worried glance back at them.

"When did you and the Peridot get so close?" Jasper snorts as Steven starts to walk down the boardwalk. Jasper has to walk drastically slowly to make sure her strides don't set her feet ahead of Steven on the basis of her leg length alone.

"It's kind of a long story." Steven rubs the back of his neck. Jasper huffs as she and Steven walk along the boardwalk, to the grass and all the way up the green hill the lighthouse rests on top of.

"So what do we do here?" Jasper sighs, ready for another looming failure.

"We just sit," Steven says. "Watch the ocean, the birds, just think." Steven sighs out contently as he sits down on the grass. Jasper clenches her fist.

"NO," her voice rises and she shakes. "NO! Every time I just think it does back to….THAT! I don't want to watch earth show, I don't want to play stupid games and I don't want to THINK." Steven jumps back panicked as Jasper breathes heavy her eyes wide and enraged.

Suddenly, the cliff side shakes and the ground bursts open like water being breached. Steven falls back as a massive white worm-like creature surfaces. The beast has a large pink gem in the center of its stomach. It lets out a roar that causes the lighthouse to quake. Steven summons his shield, but Jasper holds out her arm.

"Stay back," Jasper says firmly. "That thing isn't going to be taken down with a shield." Jasper summons her battle Helmet and charges headlong at the Gem worm. She collides with it, wrapping her thick arms around it in a crushing bear hug. Swinging her body in a circle, Jasper rips the worm from the ground and throws it off the cliff where it smashes onto the beach, before diving down after it.

"JASPER WAIT," Steven cries as he watches from the cliff as the massive quartz sends her helmet clad head into the beasts body. It withers with a hiss of pain before a loud pop sounds and a cloud of smoke fades across the beach, leaving Jasper and a disembodied gem.

"OH MY LORD," Pearl cries out as she and Garnet run from the house. "WHAT HAPPENED?!" Jasper is silent, head bowed as Garnet bubbles the gem and Steven floats down from the cliff top, landing in the sand then running to the three gems.

"Jasper, are you okay?!" Steven exclaims. "Are you hurt?" Jasper lifts her head and Seven steps back, shocked. A massive, toothy smile is spread wide across jasper's face. Pearl looks horrified and Garnet steps back, keeping the bubble out of path.

"J-Jasper?" Steven asks a fearful tone to his voice. Jasper starts to laugh, a single, huffed laugh before she looks across the expressions that surround her. Her face is stricken in shock and she steps back before grabbing her head, fingers clutching her thick white hair and lets out a heartbroken, pained scream.

"What's wrong?" Steven exclaims.

"I'm happy," Jasper says with a sick smile painted across her face, thick, wet tears rolling down her cheeks.. "For the first time in weeks I'm happy and it's because I fought! It really is all I'm good for." Jasper stands and swallows deeply.

"I won't…be a bother to you anymore," Jasper says, looking at her feet. "I'm sorry you couldn't fix me like the Peridot or….Lazuli." Jasper makes a single darting movement and she's gone down the beast, far faster than even Garnet could hope to catch her.

"Jasper," Steven says softly. Garnet rests her hand on his shoulder.

"It's not your fault Steven," Garnet says.

"Then why do I feel so bad?" Steven asks, staring down at his sandals.

SU

Peridot looks defeated at Steven, who is sitting across from her on a hay bale, a drawing pad with Crying Breakfast Friends doodled all over hanging off his knee. The green gem has been trying to cheer him up for hours with no improvement at all. She feels totally helpless and she can't help but wonder if that's exactly how Steven feels.

"Steven," Lapis stirs Steven from his trance as she lands just outside the door of the barn, her water wings spread out behind her.

"Hey Lapis," Steven mumbles, a depressed drawing handing in his voice. The blue gem scuffs her toes on the floor and sighs.

"I umm…I found Jasper," Lapis admits. At first she debated keeping her mouth shut, but after a week of Steven's defeated mood, she knows it would be selfish.

"Where?" Steven exclaims.

"She's been hiding out in the strawberry fields," Lapis offers. "I was going for a fly and I saw her sitting there….I can take you if you want."

"No Lapis, you don't have to do that," Steven assures. "I'll take the warp pad."

"I'll come," Peridot says. "Just in case." The two walk to the warp pad and vanish. Lapis stands still for a minute.

"If Jasper loses it, they're both going to die," She mutters to herself and runs to the pad, warping after. As Lapis beams into the strawberry fields, she sees a sea of abandoned weapons amongst the lush leaves and ripe berries. Steven and Peridot are a few feet away from the wrap.

"Where is she?" Steven asks worriedly. "JASPER?! WHERE ARE YOU." Lapis jumps, startled by the yell but even more so by Jasper sitting up from where she was laying on the ground, hidden by the overgrown plants.

"What do you," Jasper addresses Steven for moment before her eyes land on Lapis and she stands sharply, taking a few paces back and holding up her hand.

"Look, I didn't do anything," she says. "I'm not hurting anyone, I'm not doing anything wrong. Please just leave me alone."

"You can't stay out here alone forever," Steven protests.

"It's not like I'm doing anyone or anything any good being somewhere else," Jasper gives a sharp return.

"Jasper," Lapis steps a little closer which causes Jasper to step farther back. "Why did you come here?"

"Why should I tell you?" Jasper hisses. "Just go!"

"Please," Steven pleads. "We just want to help."

"THIS IS THE LAST PLACE I FELT USEFUL OKAY," Jasper shouts. "Ever since the rebellion, I've just been playing fetch for the diamonds and nothing else! I'm not productive. I can't build, I can't see the world. I'm just a tool to be thrown at enemies and I'm not going to delude myself into thinking I can be anything more!"

"Delude yourself," Lapis snorts. "Are you serious? Does it look like Peridot is doing grunt work right now? Or I'm acting as a walking TV?! Pearl isn't a glorified hand bag anymore, and Garnet…Well that one doesn't even need explaining!"

"What's your point?" Jasper sneers, her teeth gritted.

"My point is I hated this planet," Lapis exclaims. "And I trapped us both here because I wanted to feel like I was in control, and it failed and hurt us both! But now we're here, and I see this planet is beautiful! This place gives us a chance to do or be whatever we want! You don't need a purpose here! You can just BE!"

"She's right," Peridot speaks up. "I didn't find what I liked on this planet in a day. But Steven helped me and now I can't imagine being anywhere else. Here we have value outside of the Diamonds and missions! Here we're more then just Peridots or Jaspers."

Jasper is silent, staring with her dark eyes, lips pursed. Steven steps across the field and takes two of her fingers in his hand.

"This place can be your home, Jasper," Steven says. "And I'll keep helping you; we all will. Please, come back with us."

"I'll think about it," Jasper says, taking her hand carefully from Steven's. She turns around, facing away from the group.

"Thank you," she mutters. "All of you."

SU

Steven wakes up to the sun coming through his window. Stretching out his arms, he swings his leg over the bed and steps onto the floor of the loft. Looking down, he sees the lion Jasper won him is hanging off the bed awkwardly. He carefully picks it up and sets it next to MC Bear Bear before going to down to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

He stops and looks out the wide front windows and is surprised to see Jasper sitting down by the beach. Steven quickly dresses himself and runs out to Jasper. The Gem has her feet resting in the water, her hair blowing lightly in the wind.

"Hey," Steven says coming up behind her. Jasper doesn't stand in the aggressive, skittish way she had before; she doesn't even turn her head.

"Hello…Steven," Jasper offers.

"You came back," Steven smiles a little, sitting down next to her.

"Kinda of," Jasper says. "Lazuli-Lapis and Peridot invited me to stay at the barn, but the strawberry field is a little less…crowded. But ya know, just a wrap way…all that…" Jasper awkwardly kicks her foot in the water making a splash.

"Wanna build a sand castle?" Steven asks as he grabs a shell off the sand.

"I have no idea what that is," Jasper says. "But yeah, sure." The two sit on the beach pilling mountains of sand in pillars and walls. Jasper's massive hand grabs huge piles for Steven to sculpt as the two build a kingdom stretching across the beach. After nearly three hours, sand flecks are speckled across Jasper's hair and wedged into Steven's shorts. The two stand side-by-side looking over at their creation, Steven beaming widely.

"Do you want to smash it?" Steven asks, looking up at Jasper.

"Nah, I'm good." Jaspers smiles. "I do ,however, wanna do this." She picks up Steven and tosses him into the shallows of the water with a splash. Steven pops up from the blue with a loud laugh as he summons his shield and sends a spray of water at Jasper.

"OH YOU'RE GONNA GET IT," Jasper shouts as she piles herself into the water after Steven, who laughs excitedly. And Jasper laughs with no tone of menace or aggression, just an overwhelming feeling of joy. Maybe she doesn't like Earth show, or silly games, but maybe, just maybe there are some people on Earth she really enjoys.


End file.
